Red Mile: Fortify breaks maiden in style in Kentucky Sire Stakes

Driver Scott Zeron kept Brian Brown trainee Fortify towards the front and fired past the late-race leader to take the quicker of two $30,000 Kentucky Sires Stakes (KYSS) divisions for 2-year-old pacing colts and geldings on Sunday, Sept. 1 at The Red Mile.

Zeron placed the Sweet Lou colt in the pocket to Golden Sand heading to a 27 second first quarter before circling to the front approaching a 54 4/5 half. Starship, racing fourth, ventured first-over moving to the far turn and overtook Fortify nearing three-quarters in 1:22. Fortify then vacated the pocket at head stretch and dug into Starship before surging three-quarters of a length in front and stopping the clock in 1:50 3/5. Starship settled for second, while Lottery Winner took third.

A homebred for Diamond Creek Farm LLC. (owned by Diamond Creek Racing), Fortify won his first race from six starts, earning $28,250. He paid $5.60 to win.

Zeron also steered Brown trainee Moneyman Hill to a 1:50 4/5 victory to take the other KYSS division for rookie pacing males.

The Somebeachsomewhere colt raced third as Roll With Jr ripped to the front before a 26 3/5 first quarter. Pocket-sitter Its Showtime went off-stride approaching the backstretch, giving the pocket to Moneyman Hill, and the odds-on favorite stalked the pace-setter through a 54 4/5 half and through three-quarters in 1:24 1/5. Moneyman Hill slipped from the pocket through the stretch and zipped to a 4 1/2 length victory, while Put To Right took second in a 1:50 4/5 mile. Roll With Jr faded to third.

A homebred for Tom Hill, Moneyman Hill won his second race from six starts, earning $49,730. He paid $3.40 to win.

Baby Your The Best survived a first-half sprint to take the sole KYSS dash for 2-year-old pacing fillies as the 1-9 favorite with a 1:51 3/5 mile.

The Linda Toscano trainee sparred around the first turn with stablemate Shining Beauty, who parked to a 26 4/5 first quarter when leaving from post 10. Shining Beauty promptly retreated racing into the backstretch while Baby Your The Best maintained her speed while chased by pocket-sitter Gai Waterhouse through a 53 1/5 half. Driver David Miller rationed the Captaintreacherous filly’s speed rounding the final turn—passing three-quarters in 1:23 1/5—and turned away a pocket-popping bid from Gai Waterhouse to win by 1 1/4 lengths. Blood Red rushed from off-the-pace to take third.

Winning her second race from five starts this season, Baby Your The Best has accrued $83,720 in earnings for owners Richard and Joanne Young. Steve Stewart, Conquest Acres Lp and Michael Robinson bred the $2.20 winner.

--press release (The Red Mile)--